The official policy of the Mormon Church is that its racist practices and doctrines were commanded by God, and not a result of racism among its leadership.

The Church has never apologized for its doctrines or its practices nor specifically repudiated racist teachings by Mormon prophets.

Mitt Romney, potentially the next US president, is skilled at evading this point, aided by general misunderstanding of the Mormon Church and a refusal by the media to press this as an important issue.

If they believe it was wrong, both Mitt Romney and the Mormon Church should be able to unequivocally denounce the racism of the church and of its past.